“There was nobody in this building who didn’t think we could have won those games,” Wake said, in reference to the losses to New York and Arizona. “And the confidence level is there, just that belief to keep on going out there and swinging that axe to make sure we eventually get that tree to fall. You see what happens when it did last week.”

The Dolphins entered the season with a first-time head coach, a rookie starting quarterback and in the midst of a complete schematic overhaul on both sides of the ball. Some looked at this as a stark disadvantage, no doubt, but Wake said the team was going to do whatever it needed to do to avoid last season’s fate.

“We’re not going to be guys to take on excuses and use those as a way out,” Wake said. “Everybody put those things to the side and said, ‘So what it’s a new defense?’ Let’s get in here, let’s put in extra time, let’s learn it, so when we get on the field we can execute at a high level.

“So what if it’s a rookie quarterback? He’s going out there—we’re going to make practice hard for him so that when he goes into the game, it’s something he can do well.”